Photovoltaic device

Abstract

The photovoltaic device of this invention has a p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group between a transparent electrode layer texturized at the side opposite the light incident surface and a semiconductive layer having a semiconductor junction and including a p-type layer at the light incident side thereof. With such a construction, the optical path length of an incident ray is increased, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency. Also, since the p-type semiconductive layer contacts the p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group, imperfections in the semiconductor junction can be reduced. Accordingly, with a photovoltaic device of this invention, the peak value of the photoelectric conversion efficiency can be increased and also the manufacturing yield can be remarkably increased.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A photovoltaic device comprising: (a) a light incident member;   (b) a transparent electrode layer disposed on said light incident member, said transparent electrode layer having a light incident surface adjacent said light incident member and having a texturized back surface side opposite to said light incident surface;   (c) a p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group deposited on said texturized surface of said transparent electrode layer;   (d) a semi-conductive layer having a semi-conductor junction in which a p-type layer is disposed, said p-type semi-conductive layer disposed on and contacting said p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group; and   (e) a back electrode layer disposed on a back surface side on said semi-conductive layer.   
     
     
       2. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor junction of said semiconductive layer is a pin-junction. 
     
     
       3. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 2, wherein said p-type of said semiconductive layer layer contacting said p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group is formed of amorphous silicon carbide. 
     
     
       4. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 3, wherein said amorphous silicon carbide is hydrogenated. 
     
     
       5. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said p-type layer of said semiconductive layer contacting said p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group is formed of amorphous silicon carbide. 
     
     
       6. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said amorphous silicon carbide is hydrogenated. 
     
     
       7. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said layer of oxides of the platinum group is formed of any one of iridium oxide, ruthenium oxide, and osmium oxide. 
     
     
       8. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said layer of oxides of the platinum group is 50 to 1,000 Å. 
     
     
       9. A photovoltaic device is as set forth in claim 1, wherein the thickness of said layer of oxides of the platinum group is 100 to 500 Å. 
     
     
       10. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transparent electrode layer is formed of SnO 2 . 
     
     
       11. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, said layer of oxides of the platinum group is formed by decomposing a raw material gas containing compounds of metals of the platinum group and oxygen and/or oxygen compounds. 
     
     
       12. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said compounds of metals of the platinum group are gaseous compounds of metals of the platinum group and flourine. 
     
     
       13. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 12, wherein said gas is decomposed by a plasma decomposition method using glow discharge. 
     
     
       14. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 11, wherein said gas is decomposed by a plasma decomposition method using glow discharge. 
     
     
       15. A photovoltaic device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said layer of oxides of the platinum group is formed by sputtering in an atmosphere of O 2  with metals of the platinum group as a target. 
     
     
       16. A photovoltaic device comprising: (a) a light incident member;   (b) a transparent electrode layer disposed on said light incident member, said transparent electrode layer having a light incident surface adjacent said light incident member and having a texturized back surface side opposite to said light incident surface;   (c) a p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group having a face side and a back side and deposited on said texturized surface with said face side of said p-type oxide layer in contact with said transparent electrode layer;   (d) a semi-conductive layer with a face side and a back side, and having a semiconductor junction in which a p-type layer is disposed, said p-type semi-conductive layer disposed on and contacting siad back side of said p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group; and   (e) a back electrode layer disposed on said back side of said semi-conductive layer.   
     
     
       17. A device as in claim 15, wherein said layer of p-type platinum group oxide is Ir O x  having an electrical conductivity of 1 Ohm -1  cm -1  or more and an activation energy of 0.03 eV or less. 
     
     
       18. A photovoltaic device comprising: (a) a light incident member;   (b) a transparent electrode layer disposed on said light incident member, said transparent electrode layer having a light incident surface adjacent said light incident member and having a texturized back surface side opposite to said light incident surface;   (c) a p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group having a face side and a back side and deposited on said texturized surface with said face side of said p-type oxide layer in contact with said transparent electrode layer;   (d) a semi-conductive layer with a face side and a back side, and having a semiconductor junction in which a p-type layer is disposed, said p-type semi-conductive layer disposed on and contacting said back side of said p-type layer of oxides of the platinum group, said semi-conductive layer comprising amorphous silicon carbide; and   (e) a back electrode layer disposed on said back side of said semi-conductive layer.